FAR 61.52 — Ultralight Aeronautical Experience
FAR 61.52 explains how (before Jan 31, 2012) ultralight flight time could count toward sport pilot, flight instructor, and certain private pilot ratings.
In Plain English
FAR 61.52 allowed pilots to credit flight time logged in ultralight vehicles toward certain FAA certificates and ratings — but only if that experience was obtained before January 31, 2012. After that date, ultralight time can no longer be used to meet Part 61 requirements.
Before the cutoff, ultralight experience could count toward:
- A sport pilot certificate
- A flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating
- A private pilot certificate with a weight-shift-control or powered parachute category rating
- The additional pilot requirements of § 61.69 (towing gliders/unpowered ultralights)
To use that time, the pilot had to:
- Be a registered ultralight pilot with an FAA-recognized ultralight organization when the time was flown
- Log the experience per both that organization's rules and the pilot logging rules in § 61.51
- Obtain the time in a category and class matching the rating sought
- Provide the FAA a certified copy of ultralight pilot records showing registration and recognized category/class privileges
Operationally, this rule mattered most during the transition when sport pilot rules were introduced — it gave experienced ultralight pilots a path into the FAA certification system.
Regulation Text
14 CFR § 61.52§ 61.52 Use of aeronautical experience obtained in ultralight vehicles.
(a) Before January 31, 2012, a person may use aeronautical experience obtained in an ultralight vehicle to meet the requirements for the following certificates and ratings issued under this part:
(1) A sport pilot certificate.
(2) A flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating;
(3) A private pilot certificate with a weight-shift-control or powered parachute category rating.
(b) Before January 31, 2012, a person may use aeronautical experience obtained in an ultralight vehicle to meet the provisions of § 61.69.
(c) A person using aeronautical experience obtained in an ultralight vehicle to meet the requirements for a certificate or rating specified in paragraph (a) of this section or the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section must—
(1) Have been a registered ultralight pilot with an FAA-recognized ultralight organization when that aeronautical experience was obtained;
(2) Document and log that aeronautical experience in accordance with the provisions for logging aeronautical experience specified by an FAA-recognized ultralight organization and in accordance with the provisions for logging pilot time in aircraft as specified in § 61.51;
(3) Obtain the aeronautical experience in a category and class of vehicle corresponding to the rating or privilege sought; and
(4) Provide the FAA with a certified copy of his or her ultralight pilot records from an FAA-recognized ultralight organization, that —
(i) Document that he or she is a registered ultralight pilot with that FAA-recognized ultralight organization; and
(ii) Indicate that he or she is recognized to operate the category and class of aircraft for which sport pilot privileges are sought.
[Docket FAA-2001-11133, 69 FR 44865, July 27, 2004, as amended by Amdt. 61-125, 75 FR 5220, Feb. 1, 2010]
Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1Can a student today use ultralight flight hours toward a sport pilot certificate?
No. Under FAR 61.52, ultralight aeronautical experience could only be applied toward Part 61 certificates if it was obtained before January 31, 2012.
Q2Which certificates and ratings could ultralight experience be applied toward under FAR 61.52?
Per FAR 61.52(a), ultralight time could count toward a sport pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating, and a private pilot certificate with a weight-shift-control or powered parachute category rating, plus the requirements of § 61.69.
Q3What documentation did a pilot have to provide the FAA to use ultralight time toward a rating?
FAR 61.52(c)(4) required a certified copy of the pilot's ultralight records from an FAA-recognized ultralight organization showing they were a registered ultralight pilot and recognized to operate the category and class of aircraft sought.
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Related Sections in Part 61